1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a connector assembly of the type including a first housing with terminals mounted therein and a second housing receivable within the first housing with terminals mounted therein adapted to mate with the terminals of the first housings. The housings are relatively moveable with respect to one another between an initial position wherein the second housing is initially received in the first housing and an inserted position wherein the second housing is fully inserted within the first housing so that the terminals of the respected housings are in mating engagement. More particularly, the invention resides in an improved means of mating the terminals of said housings.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Electrical connectors of the type described are generally refered to as plug and socket electrical connector assemblies or plug and receptacle electrical connector assemblies. An example generally of such a connector assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,070 which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Because connector assemblies of the type refered to may employ a large plurality of terminals to be mated, a large "insertion force" is generated while attempting to fully mate the terminals of the respective housings. Accordingly, low or zero insertion force connector assemblies have been developed to overcome this problem.
One example of a low or zero insertion force connector having flat blade terminals is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,538 which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In that patent, the housings are relatively moveable in a first direction with respect to one another until the second housing is fully received in the first housing. However, when the housings are fully inserted, the flat blade terminals are still spaced apart and are brought into mating engagement when the housings are moved in response to an actuator member moving in the same plane as the movement of the terminals.
Another example of a low or zero insertion force connector assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,698. In that patent the connector assembly includes a rotatable actuator member which brings the terminals of the respective housings into mating engagement.